The New Year triggers a flood of ideas in our minds, but the one common concept that’s become a theme for the holiday is the idea of a New Year’s resolution.

Some of the more popular resolutions involve weight loss, improving a career and shooting for a romantic relationship. The coming of a new year offers the chance to do something a little different, to go on a journey of self-discovery, or just keep it simple by doing something out of the norm.

One popular resolution for students is the aspiration to do well or better in their classes. A lot of this can start with a fresh sleep schedule, especially if you have an early class but a poor track record of getting to class on time.

Those wanting to improve their sleep schedule need to start practicing early. A new schedule can take a while for your body to get used to, but aiming for closer to eight hours every night will go a long way towards improving your academics.

Determine what time you want to wake up in the morning, subtract eight hours, and aim to go to sleep at that time. That means no late snacks, dial down a bit on the technology and turn off the lights. If a roommate needs the light, investing in a sleep mask is an easy and cheap solution.

Another resolution can be changing one’s outward appearance. Rest assured, one does not need to get plastic surgery to try out a new look. This doesn’t have to be a change in weight or muscle mass; it can be as simple as trying out a new hair style or fashion choice.

Glasses, prescription and non-prescription alike, have become a fashion statement. Those who need to wear glasses all the time might think about getting new frames or just an extra pair. Eye doctors have a wide variety of frames and styles to choose from, it can be something professional or funky. There are also frameless glasses that appear almost invisible when worn. For the trend setter with 20/20 vision, frames without the glass are available as well.

Another way to noticeably change one’s appearance is to get a haircut. Long hair can be cut short just for the fun of it, and girls with naturally curly hair may find that shorter hair curls better. Try styling your hair in fun or unique ways; derive styles from those seen in TV shows, movies and magazines. Daredevils might try something crazy like a Mohawk or mullet, but don’t worry if the style gets old after a couple weeks, hair grows back surprisingly fast.

Change can be good. Go try something different, that in and of itself will be an adventure for the new year.